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Hey guys, just before we get into the podcast, we just wanted to let you know that we are currently in the process of fundraising for a short film called Between Sundays.

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There'll be a link down in the description for you to give, but yeah.

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Anything you guys give, we would so greatly appreciate it, and just thank you in advance for all of you that have given already.

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But yeah, without further ado, let's get into the podcast.

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You!

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Welcome back to the Way UK Podcast. My name is Jesse. I'm joined by the wonderful co-host, Senya.

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And today, we have a very special thus, the Archbishop and Gaylos.

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Come on.

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Did I pronounce your name right?

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You did, actually.

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I did, okay.

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So you have to tell people how to pronounce it and syllables, and I bet you that don't really well, Jesse.

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Thank you.

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Come on.

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It's only lovely to be here with you.

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Archbishop, it's a real joy to have you on our sofa.

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We've got many special guests here, and we have another one today.

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And before we started filming, you're giving us a little bit of your geographical journey, where you grew up, and your journey over the past couple of years.

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And I was wondering if you'd be able to tell the listeners, tell the watches kind of a bit of your story in terms of how, where you grew up, where you are now, who you are a little bit, as a little introduction to you.

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Thank you.

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I feel honored to be here, and I'm sure this armchair could tell lots of stories, and I'm happy to share one.

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So I was born in Egypt to optical orthodox Christian parents.

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We migrated as a family when I was five to Australia.

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And so I grew up there, had my education, study, and work.

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And once I finished all that, I went back to Egypt to join the monastery.

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So our monasteries were actually literally in the middle of the desert.

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You know, when you read the stories of the desert fathers and mothers of the four, five, six centuries, that's where our monasteries are.

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So I went back to a place called Wedi Notreu, which is halfway between Cairo and Alexandria.

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It's a very, it's a monastic era with lots of heritage, dating back to the fourth century.

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And when I got there, I was taken under the wing of our then Pope.

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So there were two churches, the one that used the title Pope, Rome, and then Alexandria, the optical orthodox church.

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And took me under his wing, I became his disciple, I, you know, I became his private secretary for six years.

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After that, he, he said to me, you've had enough administrative experience now.

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I want you to get some pastoral experience.

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So sent me here, I've, I served here for four years as a monk priest.

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And then in 1999, we co-bishop, and I've been serving here ever since.

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So I really, rich, really rich journey starting in Egypt, going back, going to Australia, then back to Egypt and here.

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Lots of really good experiences and wonderful people along the way.

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Yeah. And it's awesome to be able to hear bits about today.

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I kind of, I love the story of how you've traveled so many different places, had a wealth of experience in lots of different cultures that as Christians, some of us haven't ever heard of let alone experience.

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And I guess I'd love to hear about how you got into even being a monk in Egypt and going and studying in a monastery in Egypt.

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And what a faith looked like, growing up for you, like a bit of the faith journey within that, rather than just the titles on what it was, but like, how did it start?

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What was it like as a teenager, and then how did it develop into being an archbishop?

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I will say sorry, this is quite a big deal because we have nine monthly listeners that come from Egypt.

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Wow. So this is a big deal.

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Egyptian listeners, so I'm pretty sure they're all leaned in at this moment.

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You're on this side.

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Hello to the adduction viewers.

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Come on.

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No, I, so I was blessed to be born into a Christian family.

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And in our church, we have infant baptism, so I baptizes a child as an infant within weeks of my birth.

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I grew up in churches.

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I said, my grade at nose five, my father went ahead first to prepare the way for us.

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And then we followed my mother, my sister and I.

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And I went to school there.

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I went to Catholic schools.

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And again, I used to go to church.

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I would serve in church in youth ministry.

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I started serving Sunday school and I was 16.

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And then started serving in youth ministry when I was about 18.

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And I was asked by the priest who then looked after our parish to establish this sort of youth ministry from scratch with some of my colleagues.

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We did that.

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And so youth ministry has been very, very special to me.

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And I came here with a remit to serve young people.

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And although my beard is significantly more gray at the moment, I still serve with young people.

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And I think it's beautiful because I find it challenging.

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I find it refreshing.

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You can't have too many airs and graces with young people.

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They keep you grounded.

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I mean, it's really easy to be caught up in the titles and the official them of lots of things.

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But I find that my young people, my spiritual children, the one who keep me grounded.

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And so I kept serving in the church.

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I think I was like anybody else or pretty much like you guys who just, you know, did youth ministry.

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And loved God and thought that this was my calling at the time.

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Finish my studies.

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I, my first degree, I did a bachelor of arts, major in political science, philosophy and sociology.

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Big brain.

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And sub major in psychology.

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But I didn't like the statistics.

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Give that gave that up.

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They've got a math person.

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Really?

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And then I went into law.

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And left all that.

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So I had to go to the monastery, literally, as I said in the middle of the desert.

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It was real calling.

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You know, I didn't have bright flashing lights or voice in my ear.

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But I remember the very instant that I felt that calling sitting down on the floor in my room with some books open.

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And then I remember the, I remember it as if it was this morning, closed the book, put it by my side and never looked back.

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Wow.

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That was the moment of calling for me.

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And I mean, it could have been really risky because I was the first person that church brought up abroad to go back and join a monastery in Egypt.

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And so I could have gone horribly wrong.

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For me, all for the monastery.

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Yes.

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But thankfully, the monastery is still standing so a bit.

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But, you know, I found that humbling.

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I found that beautiful, refreshing, going through life in the desert and living that sort of, you know, many people read about the monastic life in the other centuries.

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I remember one particular incident.

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I was, there was a long tunnel in the monastery between the church and another building.

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And I'd walked up and down this tunnel every day.

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And one particular day I was walking up the tunnel and I got these shivers down my spine.

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And it struck me for the first time that monks have been walking up and down this corridor for 1,500 years.

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Wow.

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Gosh.

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And you could smell it in the walls.

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It had that distinctive, you know, desert smell to it.

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And it's because you were to church there in the incense and the candles.

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So it all sort of mixed up to these wonderful sort of church smell as well.

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And that took me even further to say, well, if that's the case, in our Christian journey.

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I mean, what we're speaking about today and what we're living today, brothers and sisters have lived for 2,000 years.

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Yeah.

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Ever since they walked through the streets of Jerusalem and Nazareth, you know, the Holy Lands following our Lord Jesus Christ.

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And so I've been very, very blessed.

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I've been blessed to be mentored very well because mentorship and discipleship are very big parts of Manasticism.

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So I've been mentored well.

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And that's why, you know, I love youth ministry along with mentoring.

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It means that, you know, I'm reminded of what our Lord said to disciples.

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He said, freely have received, freely give.

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And I feel that I've received so abundantly that it's my responsibility to give as much as I can for whatever it's worth.

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That's amazing.

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That's so cool.

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There's such a wealth of lessons learned that we, I'm hoping that we get to tap into.

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Before we kind of go a bit more specific on prayer and all these kind of different themes.

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I'd love to hear what it was like, like growing up in Egypt, where you hear stories from the Bible that have come from down the road.

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You know, and like we've all watched the Prince of Egypt.

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What a movie.

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Imagine having that close by.

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How do you think your Egyptian heritage and growing up there and living there affected your faith?

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But it's not just that.

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So we've got the Christian heritage side of it.

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We've got the, you know, Joseph and being exiled there and then becoming a Prince of Egypt.

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One thing people forget, you know, we read it in scripture and then we sort of gloss over it.

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That when our Lord was born in Bethlehem, Joseph was born by an angel that Herod wanted to kill the child.

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So he said, get up, take the young child and his mother and flee to Egypt.

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Yeah.

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So Egypt was their place of refuge.

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Wow.

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And people think that was a short time, but an actual fact.

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Christ lived in Egypt for the first four years of his life.

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And so, and if you ever look it up, there is a map of their journey through Egypt.

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And it's like in those four years, they covered the whole country.

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They literally covered the whole country.

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And that's why when you look at the book of Isaiah and you read the prophecy,

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bless you, my people, Egypt.

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Now, I know this sounds a bit like my big, factory quitting, right?

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I don't mean that everything starts in Egypt, but I, but there is a particular blessing.

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And when you look at the Christians of Egypt, you know, we now represent 15%,

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15%, 20% of the population are between 15 and 20 million.

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Wow.

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Wow.

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But when you look at a whole region, it's almost been emptied of Christians.

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Interesting.

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So there is a very particular blessing upon Egypt.

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And we've never taken up arms.

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We've never been political.

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We've never been a wealthy church.

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We've never been influential in that way.

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Right.

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Just lived scriptures.

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So I think there's a very particular blessing.

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And for me, it's just a huge privilege to have that association.

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But also, I feel that, you know, ethnicity is part of our development.

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You know, we're speaking before podcast about where I came from and where you guys are from.

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And the fact that our identity is cumulative.

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And the fact that God continues to put these pieces together.

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And when you sort of zoom out, you see this beautiful painting.

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Yeah.

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But when you're up close and you're seeing individual, individual brushstrokes,

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it doesn't make any sense.

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And so I feel that God paint one of those brushstrokes every day of our lives.

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And as we move back, it then presents a wider picture of who we are in him.

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And so I think that journey for me has been quite an educational journey to realize that God works with us daily,

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whether it's in Egypt or Australia or here in Britain.

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And on that daily journey, he forms us the way he wants to form us.

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Now we can completely resist it.

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He gives us that freedom to our own peril.

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He gives us that freedom because, you know, I've said time and time again,

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I would much rather be an automaton who has no freedom of will.

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If I were just to be on the path of righteousness.

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But the fact that we have choice means we sin.

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And we make our own journey more difficult.

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That's what being a human is, just making it complicated when it doesn't need to be.

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But I loved the analogy used of the brushstroke.

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And I feel like that's almost like an analogy for life.

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You know, when you're living your life, you see you're in this one moment.

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So it's like this tiny brushstroke and you're like, what even is this?

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And it's not until like years later you look back and you see,

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wow, God was painting a canvas this whole time.

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And I was just obsessed with the tiny little brushstrokes of trying to make it make sense.

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And I think that's so true of like being a young person,

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like you're trying to figure out what am I going to do with my life?

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Like what does the Lord have for me?

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And it can feel very like overwhelming.

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And I guess for you in that moment where like you said you had that kind of like dropped feeling in your heart

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of like going towards a monastic life and like calling,

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I think calling is such a like huge thing for like a lot of young people.

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Like what am I going to do?

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How do I know I'm called to something?

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Like God, how do I know this is what you have for me?

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I was wondering maybe if you could give some advice to like some young people of like,

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how do I know what my calling is?

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Or like how do I just follow God in what he has for me?

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That's great.

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Yeah, I think that's it's so true.

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And I think with calling I suppose we need to be able to listen.

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And so we need silence and stillness sometimes.

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And we're not fans of silence and stillness in this generation.

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Right?

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You know, everything has to be constantly on and constantly engaged.

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You know, if you look at your devices we have on our hands every day,

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we're bombarded.

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I haven't forbid someone might be able to tell you to leave your phone somewhere.

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You know, even when I go to places,

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no second, please leave your phone out here.

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I'm almost horrified.

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It's just like what is my heart going to keep pumping and my lungs going to keep working?

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What's going to happen?

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One of my favorite verses in Scripture is be still and know that I am God.

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And that stillness is really important.

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And quite often we think about prayer as a time of telling God.

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But prayer is also a time of listening to God.

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So if we want to listen, to learn, to hear a calling,

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there has to be times of stillness.

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And then there have to be times of reassurance that God wants us to not.

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And He wants us to understand.

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And even if we can't, even if we don't get it the first time we're in,

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He'll try again.

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He knows we're a little bit difficult and hard of hearing sometimes.

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He knows we're distracted and you know,

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you'll try again and again and again.

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And if we just keep listening, we'll get it.

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And I suppose, finally, one thing I've learned over the years,

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and a lot of people don't talk about this.

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We speak about calling as almost a one-time offer.

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Right.

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We are called throughout our lives.

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So I was called to go into monastic life.

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Then I was called to serve here as a priest.

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Then I was called to the congregation.

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And God continues to call us to different things.

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And it's not like if you miss a calling, it's done.

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So I think if we want to hear callings, we need to listen.

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Now if we want to respond positively,

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we need to be able to say what some people in the Bible have said,

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here I am sending me.

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Here I am listening to you.

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But sometimes it's sorry, didn't quite hear that.

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Did you mean this other thing that I really wanted?

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But I don't want what you've suggested over here.

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We do a lot of that.

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We do a lot of that.

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And his voice is very clear over here.

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But we want to listen towards over on this side.

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It's really good.

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It's really good.

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Yeah, I love how you're talking about how sitting in like a stillness,

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sitting in prayer is the thing that helps us on our journeys to listen to God.

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It's not just about telling God things, but about listening as well.

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It's always great to hear it, to hear wonderful wisdom on stuff like that.

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But I just wonder if there's any ever been like a personal moment in your life

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where you must feel like you've hit a wall or come to a point where the road is split

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like I've got to make a decision where prayer has helped affect your perspective

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and helped your journey.

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I wonder if there are any like personal examples of that in your story?

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Oh, yeah, lots.

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We have to make decisions on a daily basis.

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And I suppose the toughest decisions for me are decisions that impact other people.

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Because if I'm choosing for me, then I can live with the outcome.

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If I'm faithful, if I'm okay, if I'm reckless, it's my responsibility.

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I'm going to deal with it.

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But for me, when there are decisions that impact others,

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positively or negatively, and especially if it's potentially negatively,

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those are the ones that I really feel need a lot of wisdom, a lot of prayer.

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And so it's at that time when you get those forks in the road,

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that you really have to ask for genuine wisdom and be willing to listen.

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I can't imagine what it was like for Moses,

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leading the children of Israel through the wilderness,

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when they were so resistant.

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And he sort of had to keep asking and keep seeking guidance

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and keep moving ahead.

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So I think at the most difficult times across a London journey,

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that's when we have to keep asking.

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And I think that's where community comes in handy as well.

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Because if I've asked you to pray for me and with me,

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then I'm even more empowered.

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We're not just here to be buddies.

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It's nice to be buddies.

289
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I hope you're buddies, but it's nice.

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It's not that all that is we're supposed to also be fellow travelers.

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We're supposed to be companions.

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That's good.

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Following our Lord, following the good shepherd,

294
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following the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire,

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but journeying together.

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And so when we know that we are supported by the prayers of others,

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that becomes encouraging.

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That's beautiful.

299
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The wisdom is just superb.

300
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You're just dropping so many good things.

301
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I would love for you to kind of talk a little bit more about prayer,

302
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but more about praying like the Coptic Orthodox Church.

303
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I don't know.

304
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I feel like that is a tradition that's filled with lots of,

305
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lots of ancient traditions.

306
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But what does prayer look like in the Coptic Orthodox Church space?

307
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I don't know what's the importance of prayer.

308
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Just share.

309
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And we're asking because we want to learn.

310
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Exactly.

311
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I think prayer is the same for everyone.

312
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Prayer is communication we've got.

313
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And as I said, it is listening and speaking both.

314
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And prayer is going to be different for different people,

315
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even within our churches.

316
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Because communication will communicate differently.

317
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We communicate in the most impactful way.

318
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So sometimes you feel like dropping a quick text,

319
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we're just an emoji.

320
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Sometimes you want to write a thesis on message.

321
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No one's ever going to read.

322
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You get those really annoying, really long messages that people send you.

323
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You think that's not what messages are for.

324
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But sometimes you want to do that.

325
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And sometimes you'll make a phone call and sometimes you'll need for a coffee or for dinner.

326
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And our communication with God is very similar.

327
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Sometimes you would just want a quick, please help.

328
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I need to hear your voice.

329
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I just need to go and sit in stillness with you for a while.

330
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So in the optical orthodox church,

331
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there are all of those variables of prayer.

332
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It starts from the very personal, what we call the arrow prayers.

333
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It's just a short and sharp.

334
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I've got this exam.

335
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I've got a job interview.

336
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I've got a difficulty with someone.

337
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I know someone who's unwell.

338
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I need healing.

339
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That's all God needs.

340
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And God doesn't need huge preamble and lots of detail.

341
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He knows exactly what we're going through.

342
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So I think that's important.

343
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So we've got those short and sharp prayers.

344
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But then we've got the work from the personal to the corporate.

345
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So then we have something called the Akbar.

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The Akbar is the book of Ali prayers.

347
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And we have seven of those.

348
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And they relate to particular stages of the day and the life of Christ.

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So the first hour is the,

350
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is the beginning, the apostles, the breaking of dawn, that kind of thing.

351
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The third hour is the descent of the Holy Spirit.

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The third hour, 6,000 crucifixion, 9th hour of death on the cross.

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And so each one of those follows a particular structure.

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So you would start with something called the prayer of Thanksgiving.

355
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So every one of our prayers, including funerals,

356
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start with something called the prayer of Thanksgiving,

357
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where we're giving thanks to God.

358
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And one of it says,

359
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we thank you on every occasion in every condition for all things.

360
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We have covered us, helped us, accepted us to you, spared us, supported us, brought us to this hour.

361
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And so it's God, whatever we've been through, whatever I'm going through now, I thank you.

362
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Because if it is joyous, then I'm rejoicing.

363
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And if it's difficult, then I know you're supporting me through it or you're building me through it.

364
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And so I thank you for it.

365
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Start with that prayer of Thanksgiving.

366
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Then it goes into Psalm 50,

367
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where you'll have mercy upon me, oh God, because of your loving kindness.

368
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And so you're saying to God,

369
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I love you, so please have mercy on me.

370
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And you go through, you know, purge me with His help, so cleanse me, prepare me.

371
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And then for each hour, we'd have a series of Psalms that correspond to that theme.

372
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So during the third hour, if we talk about the sentence of Holy Spirit, we have Psalms.

373
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And then you have a gospel reading.

374
00:26:12.800 --> 00:26:17.800
So again, for the third hour, it will be when the Holy Spirit comes.

375
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And then a small prayer after it.

376
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So that happens.

377
00:26:22.800 --> 00:26:25.800
So of course, not everyone does the seven prayers.

378
00:26:25.800 --> 00:26:31.800
And people now being in a modern life context, when people come to spiritual advice,

379
00:26:31.800 --> 00:26:39.800
I might say, do a couple of them, I might say, you know, within a couple just to bits and pieces.

380
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Prayer is a very personal thing.

381
00:26:41.800 --> 00:26:43.800
And so we have to make it work personally.

382
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This is not about imposing, you know, hard and fast rules.

383
00:26:49.800 --> 00:26:50.800
Yeah.

384
00:26:50.800 --> 00:26:54.800
Because what works for either of you may not work for me.

385
00:26:54.800 --> 00:26:58.800
And the baseline of prayer is communication with God.

386
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So if it's not working, it's not working.

387
00:27:00.800 --> 00:27:02.800
There's no point in forcing it.

388
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We have to be resilient sometimes.

389
00:27:05.800 --> 00:27:10.800
You know, if you're trying to give someone a call and you call once, twice, three times,

390
00:27:10.800 --> 00:27:14.800
and no answer, you try again, or you send a message or you go and knock on the door.

391
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So sometimes you have to be persistent.

392
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But we have to find the way that helps us best to communicate with God.

393
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Great.

394
00:27:25.800 --> 00:27:26.800
So does that then?

395
00:27:26.800 --> 00:27:30.800
More formally, we have liturgical prayers for the Mass.

396
00:27:30.800 --> 00:27:38.800
If any of your viewers are accustomed to Roman Catholic masses or hand-licant masses,

397
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it's a Mass, it's a Eucharistic service.

398
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Where prayers, you have communion, that's a corporate prayer.

399
00:27:46.800 --> 00:27:49.800
You know, that's us coming together because as the body of Christ,

400
00:27:49.800 --> 00:27:54.800
we pray together, we stand together, we lift up our hands and our hearts together.

401
00:27:54.800 --> 00:27:59.800
And as with every service I've attended of every church,

402
00:27:59.800 --> 00:28:03.800
there is a part called the anaphora where the priest will turn around and say,

403
00:28:03.800 --> 00:28:06.800
the Lord was with you and you'll say, and with your spirit.

404
00:28:06.800 --> 00:28:13.800
And let us lift up our hearts and you'll say, they are with the Lord.

405
00:28:13.800 --> 00:28:18.800
So I'm sure you've heard that in other service, that's in our service as well.

406
00:28:18.800 --> 00:28:24.800
So in most services, there is some sort of manifestation of that sentiment.

407
00:28:24.800 --> 00:28:31.800
And I think that goes back to our common origins and heritage.

408
00:28:31.800 --> 00:28:38.800
You know, before this mess we've gotten ourselves into, we were one church.

409
00:28:38.800 --> 00:28:44.800
From Jerusalem, we were one church.

410
00:28:44.800 --> 00:28:49.800
In our liturgies, we have a litany of the church.

411
00:28:49.800 --> 00:28:58.800
And in every service we pray for the peace of the one early universal apostolic church.

412
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And I do a lot of ecumenical work.

413
00:29:02.800 --> 00:29:07.800
When that's going to happen, who knows, I don't know, might be my lifetime, probably not.

414
00:29:07.800 --> 00:29:09.800
But we keep working towards it.

415
00:29:09.800 --> 00:29:14.800
The fact that we come from different Christian traditions.

416
00:29:14.800 --> 00:29:16.800
But we're here speaking.

417
00:29:16.800 --> 00:29:21.800
And I've got to tell you, you guys, the grace on your faces is beautiful.

418
00:29:21.800 --> 00:29:27.800
Because I can see it that when you're listening and you're responding and you're kind and you're gracious.

419
00:29:27.800 --> 00:29:29.800
And that is just a spirit of God.

420
00:29:29.800 --> 00:29:32.800
And that's beautiful. That's what we share.

421
00:29:32.800 --> 00:29:33.800
We all share.

422
00:29:33.800 --> 00:29:39.800
Rather than focusing on what separates us and their challenges and the divisions.

423
00:29:39.800 --> 00:29:41.800
Which all exists.

424
00:29:41.800 --> 00:29:44.800
We can't paper over those.

425
00:29:44.800 --> 00:29:47.800
They exist. Then we have to deal with them.

426
00:29:47.800 --> 00:29:49.800
But they're not the focus.

427
00:29:49.800 --> 00:29:51.800
They're not the focus.

428
00:29:51.800 --> 00:29:53.800
We have so much more that we share.

429
00:29:53.800 --> 00:29:55.800
We have so much more in common.

430
00:29:55.800 --> 00:29:59.800
We have so much more we can do together.

431
00:29:59.800 --> 00:30:02.800
And I think so.

432
00:30:02.800 --> 00:30:04.800
That's our Eucharistic prayer.

433
00:30:04.800 --> 00:30:10.800
And as I said, we pray for the one universal church, the church of God.

434
00:30:10.800 --> 00:30:17.800
To be once again, the fulfillment of what our Lord said that there'll be one flock or one shepherd.

435
00:30:17.800 --> 00:30:20.800
And he is Asha.

436
00:30:20.800 --> 00:30:21.800
It's amazing.

437
00:30:21.800 --> 00:30:24.800
It's so awesome to hear.

438
00:30:24.800 --> 00:30:29.800
One for normal traditions, but also the encouragement for unity.

439
00:30:29.800 --> 00:30:32.800
Again, more than ever at the moment.

440
00:30:32.800 --> 00:30:34.800
And it's beautiful.

441
00:30:34.800 --> 00:30:39.800
It's beautiful to be able to be sat having a conversation from different cultures, different backgrounds.

442
00:30:39.800 --> 00:30:41.800
About one God.

443
00:30:41.800 --> 00:30:44.800
And I guess currently in the church.

444
00:30:44.800 --> 00:30:51.800
We're seeing lots of different themes and different kind of.

445
00:30:52.800 --> 00:30:56.800
Yeah, similar, but same.

446
00:30:56.800 --> 00:31:00.800
Things happening, which is lots of people suddenly spiritually open.

447
00:31:00.800 --> 00:31:01.800
Yeah.

448
00:31:01.800 --> 00:31:02.800
And coming to God.

449
00:31:02.800 --> 00:31:03.800
Yeah.

450
00:31:03.800 --> 00:31:05.800
I know you're seeing that at your church.

451
00:31:05.800 --> 00:31:07.800
We get means only goes to different churches.

452
00:31:07.800 --> 00:31:09.800
We're both seeing it in different contexts.

453
00:31:09.800 --> 00:31:13.800
I wonder what you're seeing in your context as well, Archbishop.

454
00:31:13.800 --> 00:31:19.800
And the part I just wondered what your thoughts were of this whole Gen Z thing.

455
00:31:19.800 --> 00:31:24.800
You know, lots of Gen Z supposedly becoming spiritual and coming to faith.

456
00:31:24.800 --> 00:31:29.800
What do you think God is doing in the UK church specifically at the moment?

457
00:31:29.800 --> 00:31:30.800
Okay.

458
00:31:30.800 --> 00:31:36.800
You see, I think God is always doing the same thing.

459
00:31:36.800 --> 00:31:38.800
It's our response to the difference.

460
00:31:38.800 --> 00:31:41.800
God is always calling us to Him.

461
00:31:41.800 --> 00:31:42.800
It's great.

462
00:31:42.800 --> 00:31:46.800
If I ever got to, you know, I do lots of youth conferences during the year.

463
00:31:46.800 --> 00:31:51.800
I can guarantee you, because what I'll do is I'll give a talk and then we'll get questions at the end.

464
00:31:51.800 --> 00:31:56.800
I can pretty much guarantee you every time I got those questions.

465
00:31:56.800 --> 00:32:00.800
You'll get one question, which is, how do I know God's will?

466
00:32:00.800 --> 00:32:05.800
I'm sure we all grapple with that, whether you're thinking of which school to go to,

467
00:32:05.800 --> 00:32:09.800
which college to go to, which job to take, which person to share your life with,

468
00:32:09.800 --> 00:32:13.800
which ministry to take, all of that.

469
00:32:13.800 --> 00:32:19.800
And I'm always encouraged by the, I have a really easy, like, cop out,

470
00:32:19.800 --> 00:32:25.800
which is, this is the perfect will of God, your sanctification.

471
00:32:25.800 --> 00:32:27.800
So what is the will of God for me?

472
00:32:27.800 --> 00:32:28.800
My sanctification.

473
00:32:28.800 --> 00:32:34.800
Whatever that means, whether it's your course, your job, your partner, your life, your ministry,

474
00:32:34.800 --> 00:32:35.800
it's sanctification.

475
00:32:35.800 --> 00:32:37.800
That's what He calls us to.

476
00:32:37.800 --> 00:32:40.800
Wow, it's great.

477
00:32:40.800 --> 00:32:45.800
I also think, and this is me having a minor rant, so please prepare.

478
00:32:45.800 --> 00:32:46.800
We welcome the rant.

479
00:32:46.800 --> 00:32:47.800
Grant coming.

480
00:32:47.800 --> 00:32:48.800
Welcome.

481
00:32:48.800 --> 00:32:55.800
We have got to fight against this ridiculous narrative.

482
00:32:55.800 --> 00:32:57.800
That faith is not important.

483
00:32:57.800 --> 00:32:59.800
That the church is dead.

484
00:32:59.800 --> 00:33:01.800
Christianity is irrelevant.

485
00:33:01.800 --> 00:33:03.800
That is not what I see.

486
00:33:03.800 --> 00:33:05.800
It's not what I see in my church.

487
00:33:05.800 --> 00:33:08.800
It's not what I see in lots of churches.

488
00:33:08.800 --> 00:33:13.800
It's, I see, you know, as I said, I've been here for 30 years.

489
00:33:13.800 --> 00:33:15.800
I think the church is the strongest.

490
00:33:15.800 --> 00:33:19.800
It has ever been since I've been here.

491
00:33:19.800 --> 00:33:23.800
I see so many, you know, different churches, whether it's the Blackled churches,

492
00:33:23.800 --> 00:33:27.800
whether it's the Evangelical, Pentecostal, Charismatic, you know, the,

493
00:33:27.800 --> 00:33:30.800
sort of the Church of England parishes, the Catholic churches,

494
00:33:30.800 --> 00:33:37.800
the church in tall manifestation, Orthodoxy, there is, there is a dynamic church.

495
00:33:37.800 --> 00:33:39.800
There is a dynamic presence.

496
00:33:39.800 --> 00:33:40.800
It's encouraging.

497
00:33:40.800 --> 00:33:42.800
Really encouraging.

498
00:33:42.800 --> 00:33:45.800
And we've, we've got to fight against that narrative.

499
00:33:45.800 --> 00:33:51.800
When people say to you, oh, but most people, and I'll stop them and say,

500
00:33:51.800 --> 00:33:53.800
what is most people?

501
00:33:53.800 --> 00:33:54.800
How do you define that?

502
00:33:54.800 --> 00:33:56.800
And who have you actually spoken to?

503
00:33:56.800 --> 00:33:59.800
You know, because the five people who are sitting around your coffee table

504
00:33:59.800 --> 00:34:02.800
having a rant about their church, that is not most people.

505
00:34:02.800 --> 00:34:05.800
We've got to look at where the church is alive.

506
00:34:05.800 --> 00:34:12.800
We've got to look at where the church is still a vehicle of grace

507
00:34:12.800 --> 00:34:15.800
and a vehicle of God's message.

508
00:34:15.800 --> 00:34:23.800
We become, I think, insulators to that message sometimes,

509
00:34:23.800 --> 00:34:27.800
where we don't allow it to be communicated through us.

510
00:34:27.800 --> 00:34:31.800
And so if that's a problem, it's a problem with us.

511
00:34:31.800 --> 00:34:36.800
But I think that the world needs the church more than ever.

512
00:34:36.800 --> 00:34:37.800
Yeah.

513
00:34:37.800 --> 00:34:44.800
You know, I, I do a lot of ecumenical work.

514
00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:49.800
This year is a very important year for the church.

515
00:34:49.800 --> 00:34:55.800
So in, take you back a little bit to 385, 385 AD, right?

516
00:34:55.800 --> 00:34:57.800
The Council of My Seer.

517
00:34:57.800 --> 00:35:02.800
There was a heresy that challenged the divinity of Christ.

518
00:35:02.800 --> 00:35:06.800
And the church came together and it addressed this heresy

519
00:35:06.800 --> 00:35:10.800
and it said, no, we are speaking of a God who is light from light,

520
00:35:10.800 --> 00:35:14.800
true God from true God, bigotum not created.

521
00:35:14.800 --> 00:35:17.800
Now, you'll recognize those words from the Creed.

522
00:35:17.800 --> 00:35:18.800
Yeah.

523
00:35:18.800 --> 00:35:19.800
Right?

524
00:35:19.800 --> 00:35:23.800
325 AD, Council of My Seer is where the Creed was written.

525
00:35:24.800 --> 00:35:30.800
So this year marks 1700 years since that day.

526
00:35:30.800 --> 00:35:31.800
Wow.

527
00:35:31.800 --> 00:35:37.800
And doing a variety of things this year to do with that.

528
00:35:37.800 --> 00:35:40.800
And it's encouraging because that is something we can all share

529
00:35:40.800 --> 00:35:42.800
as the church means, all celebrated as the church.

530
00:35:42.800 --> 00:35:48.800
You know, I recognize that some churches don't use the Creed as the Creed.

531
00:35:48.800 --> 00:35:53.800
And the vast majority of Christians around the world are credo.

532
00:35:53.800 --> 00:36:00.800
And even if people don't recite the Creed, they will accept and believe

533
00:36:00.800 --> 00:36:04.800
in everything in the Creed.

534
00:36:04.800 --> 00:36:09.800
So that is a common point of celebration within this this year,

535
00:36:09.800 --> 00:36:11.800
which is really important.

536
00:36:11.800 --> 00:36:15.800
And the more we find common ground,

537
00:36:15.800 --> 00:36:21.800
and the more we find things to work together on,

538
00:36:21.800 --> 00:36:25.800
the more that will become real.

539
00:36:25.800 --> 00:36:29.800
But it's not just in terms of discussion of theology.

540
00:36:29.800 --> 00:36:33.800
I mean, I think back to the pandemic.

541
00:36:33.800 --> 00:36:34.800
Right?

542
00:36:34.800 --> 00:36:37.800
That is where the church was shining.

543
00:36:37.800 --> 00:36:41.800
Because suddenly you had all the social work,

544
00:36:41.800 --> 00:36:45.800
you had the food banks, you had the visitations,

545
00:36:45.800 --> 00:36:47.800
you had people dropping off medication to people.

546
00:36:47.800 --> 00:36:49.800
They had neighbors asking about each other.

547
00:36:49.800 --> 00:36:52.800
You had prayer meetings online.

548
00:36:52.800 --> 00:36:55.800
The church became the church.

549
00:36:55.800 --> 00:36:59.800
And that's one of the most important.

550
00:36:59.800 --> 00:37:03.800
And back then it was all of us working together and witnessing together

551
00:37:03.800 --> 00:37:07.800
and giving hope together.

552
00:37:07.800 --> 00:37:12.800
So yeah, I think there is a lot we can do together.

553
00:37:12.800 --> 00:37:17.800
And I'm a firm believer in that.

554
00:37:17.800 --> 00:37:21.800
So I'm assuming you two have been friends for a while.

555
00:37:21.800 --> 00:37:24.800
I'm sure there are things you differ on.

556
00:37:24.800 --> 00:37:29.800
But that doesn't become the focus of your conversation every time you meet.

557
00:37:29.800 --> 00:37:30.800
Right?

558
00:37:30.800 --> 00:37:33.800
You focus on what you have in common, friends you have in common,

559
00:37:33.800 --> 00:37:35.800
your ministry here, your work,

560
00:37:35.800 --> 00:37:37.800
whereas maybe as churches every time you come together,

561
00:37:37.800 --> 00:37:39.800
you're like, okay, what do we differ on?

562
00:37:39.800 --> 00:37:41.800
I think that's not a starting point.

563
00:37:41.800 --> 00:37:42.800
Yeah.

564
00:37:42.800 --> 00:37:44.800
That's what we should be doing.

565
00:37:44.800 --> 00:37:51.800
Yeah, we, I think we need to address that.

566
00:37:51.800 --> 00:37:53.800
And I think that was the perfect time.

567
00:37:53.800 --> 00:37:55.800
I mean, what we're seeing,

568
00:37:55.800 --> 00:37:58.800
what we're seeing in the church of like more people coming to church

569
00:37:58.800 --> 00:38:00.800
and now more than ever, why aren't we unified?

570
00:38:00.800 --> 00:38:02.800
You know, why aren't more now than ever?

571
00:38:02.800 --> 00:38:03.800
Aren't we on the same page?

572
00:38:03.800 --> 00:38:07.800
And I think like he said, it's us doing this together.

573
00:38:07.800 --> 00:38:09.800
And well, they were seeing like great stats.

574
00:38:09.800 --> 00:38:11.800
Like there's a stat that says like,

575
00:38:11.800 --> 00:38:13.800
there's two million more people that are going to church now

576
00:38:13.800 --> 00:38:15.800
than there was like six years ago in the UK,

577
00:38:15.800 --> 00:38:16.800
which is great.

578
00:38:16.800 --> 00:38:19.800
But in London alone, there's like nine million people

579
00:38:19.800 --> 00:38:20.800
that live in London.

580
00:38:20.800 --> 00:38:22.800
So like again, great feat.

581
00:38:22.800 --> 00:38:24.800
But also guys, let's get on the same page

582
00:38:24.800 --> 00:38:26.800
because people need the gospel.

583
00:38:26.800 --> 00:38:28.800
Like the church needs to be active,

584
00:38:28.800 --> 00:38:30.800
which also means that like for a lot of us,

585
00:38:30.800 --> 00:38:32.800
we might have friends or family or no people

586
00:38:32.800 --> 00:38:34.800
that are coming to faith in exploring church.

587
00:38:34.800 --> 00:38:35.800
And that's fun.

588
00:38:35.800 --> 00:38:37.800
But then that means there's also a lot of people that aren't

589
00:38:37.800 --> 00:38:38.800
in our lives.

590
00:38:38.800 --> 00:38:40.800
And I think, you know, for us that are seeing,

591
00:38:40.800 --> 00:38:42.800
maybe we've got friends that aren't in the faith

592
00:38:42.800 --> 00:38:45.800
or we've got, you know, colleagues or whoever.

593
00:38:45.800 --> 00:38:47.800
Like I guess what encouragement would you give for us

594
00:38:47.800 --> 00:38:49.800
on how we could be praying?

595
00:38:49.800 --> 00:38:50.800
Like has a church as young people?

596
00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:53.800
How could we be praying for those that aren't in the faith

597
00:38:53.800 --> 00:38:56.800
or for those to find Jesus?

598
00:38:59.800 --> 00:39:03.800
I think the first realization goes a little bit

599
00:39:03.800 --> 00:39:07.800
against our own pride as human beings.

600
00:39:07.800 --> 00:39:11.800
And that is that we are never making the difference.

601
00:39:11.800 --> 00:39:16.800
We are calling people to experience difference that God makes.

602
00:39:16.800 --> 00:39:17.800
Wow.

603
00:39:17.800 --> 00:39:18.800
Right?

604
00:39:18.800 --> 00:39:20.800
So quite often we put that responsibility on ourselves.

605
00:39:20.800 --> 00:39:22.800
I've got to do this.

606
00:39:22.800 --> 00:39:23.800
We have to do this.

607
00:39:23.800 --> 00:39:24.800
No, we don't.

608
00:39:24.800 --> 00:39:26.800
We just got to get out of the way and let God work.

609
00:39:27.800 --> 00:39:32.800
The best we can do, the best we can do is reflect.

610
00:39:32.800 --> 00:39:34.800
You know, optimal reflect his light.

611
00:39:34.800 --> 00:39:37.800
If you can't do that, get out of the way and let him shine.

612
00:39:37.800 --> 00:39:39.800
Don't be an obstacle.

613
00:39:39.800 --> 00:39:40.800
So you get.

614
00:39:40.800 --> 00:39:46.800
And so I think if we just let God work and we become conduits

615
00:39:46.800 --> 00:39:50.800
of his work and mirrors of his work,

616
00:39:50.800 --> 00:39:54.800
it makes such a difference.

617
00:39:54.800 --> 00:39:59.800
And I think

618
00:39:59.800 --> 00:40:02.800
growing up in a Catholic school,

619
00:40:02.800 --> 00:40:04.800
there was just one him that we always used to pray.

620
00:40:04.800 --> 00:40:05.800
It just came to me now.

621
00:40:05.800 --> 00:40:08.800
You know, and they will know we are Christians by our love.

622
00:40:08.800 --> 00:40:09.800
Right?

623
00:40:09.800 --> 00:40:12.800
That was one of the lines.

624
00:40:12.800 --> 00:40:16.800
You can tell a Christian.

625
00:40:16.800 --> 00:40:18.800
And listen, does it make us better than anyone else?

626
00:40:18.800 --> 00:40:20.800
I'm not saying there is nothing more annoying

627
00:40:20.800 --> 00:40:23.800
than a triumphalist arrogant Christian.

628
00:40:23.800 --> 00:40:24.800
I believe religion.

629
00:40:24.800 --> 00:40:27.800
Because that is so far from the image of Christ.

630
00:40:27.800 --> 00:40:28.800
Right.

631
00:40:28.800 --> 00:40:31.800
So.

632
00:40:31.800 --> 00:40:33.800
But you can tell.

633
00:40:33.800 --> 00:40:37.800
Because when grace and grace of God shines through us,

634
00:40:37.800 --> 00:40:41.800
it is irrefutable.

635
00:40:41.800 --> 00:40:48.800
And so we need to be able to be conduits, conductors of that grace.

636
00:40:48.800 --> 00:40:51.800
And when we do that, that's what makes a difference.

637
00:40:51.800 --> 00:40:55.800
With all due respect to you and everybody else,

638
00:40:55.800 --> 00:40:57.800
we are not the ones who make a difference.

639
00:40:57.800 --> 00:40:58.800
Yeah.

640
00:40:58.800 --> 00:41:00.800
We just become vehicles and bridges.

641
00:41:00.800 --> 00:41:01.800
So good.

642
00:41:01.800 --> 00:41:04.800
And he can make all the difference

643
00:41:04.800 --> 00:41:08.800
if we're just letting work through us.

644
00:41:08.800 --> 00:41:09.800
Hmm.

645
00:41:09.800 --> 00:41:11.800
Oh, it's so good.

646
00:41:11.800 --> 00:41:14.800
Well, we've hit so many different places in this podcast.

647
00:41:14.800 --> 00:41:15.800
So good.

648
00:41:15.800 --> 00:41:18.800
I'm calling to little brushes of identity.

649
00:41:18.800 --> 00:41:20.800
To get out of the way.

650
00:41:20.800 --> 00:41:21.800
To get out of the way.

651
00:41:21.800 --> 00:41:22.800
To get out of the way.

652
00:41:22.800 --> 00:41:23.800
To get out of the way.

653
00:41:23.800 --> 00:41:25.800
It's like, it's honestly phenomenal.

654
00:41:25.800 --> 00:41:29.800
And it's such a joy to have you on the podcast.

655
00:41:29.800 --> 00:41:33.800
I guess that as we're beginning to come to a close,

656
00:41:33.800 --> 00:41:38.800
I'd love to just hear some final, just general thoughts and wisdom,

657
00:41:38.800 --> 00:41:41.800
maybe a message that's specifically on your heart at the moment.

658
00:41:41.800 --> 00:41:43.800
I love the fact that you are a youth worker.

659
00:41:43.800 --> 00:41:45.800
I mean, we're looking for a youth pastor at the moment.

660
00:41:45.800 --> 00:41:47.800
You know, if you want to apply.

661
00:41:47.800 --> 00:41:49.800
Let me know what to send to my CV.

662
00:41:50.800 --> 00:41:55.800
But like, it's amazing because you have a heart for youth.

663
00:41:55.800 --> 00:41:56.800
And so do we.

664
00:41:56.800 --> 00:41:57.800
A heart for students.

665
00:41:57.800 --> 00:41:58.800
And so do we.

666
00:41:58.800 --> 00:42:03.800
And I guess, is there any specific message or thing on your heart

667
00:42:03.800 --> 00:42:06.800
that you'd love to communicate before we come to a close

668
00:42:06.800 --> 00:42:08.800
to that kind of generation to Gen Z.

669
00:42:08.800 --> 00:42:10.800
But also to whoever's watching.

670
00:42:10.800 --> 00:42:12.800
We'll have 40 year olds watching 50 year olds.

671
00:42:12.800 --> 00:42:14.800
Hopefully, one more.

672
00:42:14.800 --> 00:42:17.800
I'm glad you're thinking that 40 for the upper range.

673
00:42:17.800 --> 00:42:18.800
Yeah.

674
00:42:20.800 --> 00:42:21.800
I love that.

675
00:42:21.800 --> 00:42:23.800
Anyway, we'll talk about young people's history.

676
00:42:23.800 --> 00:42:24.800
Yeah.

677
00:42:24.800 --> 00:42:25.800
Yeah.

678
00:42:25.800 --> 00:42:27.800
We know when you go to the Middle East and you go to youth meetings.

679
00:42:27.800 --> 00:42:30.800
So youth can mean anything from like 12 to 50.

680
00:42:30.800 --> 00:42:31.800
Okay.

681
00:42:31.800 --> 00:42:32.800
I mean, watch your words.

682
00:42:32.800 --> 00:42:33.800
Watch your words.

683
00:42:33.800 --> 00:42:34.800
Yeah.

684
00:42:34.800 --> 00:42:35.800
Watch your words.

685
00:42:35.800 --> 00:42:36.800
Yeah.

686
00:42:36.800 --> 00:42:38.800
Don't lose hope.

687
00:42:38.800 --> 00:42:40.800
Don't lose hope.

688
00:42:40.800 --> 00:42:43.800
Don't believe.

689
00:42:43.800 --> 00:42:46.800
The prophets of doom.

690
00:42:46.800 --> 00:42:52.800
Don't give opportunity to those who will take your hope away from you.

691
00:42:52.800 --> 00:42:54.800
Because God is our hope.

692
00:42:54.800 --> 00:42:55.800
Yeah.

693
00:42:55.800 --> 00:43:01.800
And in the darkest times He shines most.

694
00:43:01.800 --> 00:43:10.800
And at times when we are most in pain and in need,

695
00:43:10.800 --> 00:43:13.800
that's when He'll make the greatest difference.

696
00:43:13.800 --> 00:43:21.800
So growing up now is a real challenge.

697
00:43:21.800 --> 00:43:25.800
If you think about everything surrounding young people now,

698
00:43:25.800 --> 00:43:30.800
and then generations that are coming are going to be even more challenging.

699
00:43:30.800 --> 00:43:32.800
Life is more complicated.

700
00:43:32.800 --> 00:43:38.800
I'm not saying life wasn't hard, but there are difficulties and there are difficulties.

701
00:43:38.800 --> 00:43:47.800
And now even the most simple realities are being challenged.

702
00:43:47.800 --> 00:43:53.800
It's like we're constantly being told there is no absolute anymore.

703
00:43:53.800 --> 00:43:55.800
But we know there is.

704
00:43:55.800 --> 00:43:56.800
Yeah.

705
00:43:56.800 --> 00:43:59.800
And so we've got to not buy into that.

706
00:43:59.800 --> 00:44:01.800
So yeah, it's tough growing up now.

707
00:44:01.800 --> 00:44:03.800
And it's tough making decisions.

708
00:44:03.800 --> 00:44:13.800
And it's tough navigating ethical issues and moral issues and trying to live a good life.

709
00:44:13.800 --> 00:44:22.800
But I have seen so many incredibly inspiring young people, both in my church and outside,

710
00:44:22.800 --> 00:44:28.800
like the tour of you and many people who are on your podcast.

711
00:44:28.800 --> 00:44:31.800
And I'm encouraged by that.

712
00:44:31.800 --> 00:44:35.800
And I'm encouraged personally because I think, okay, there's still grace in the world.

713
00:44:35.800 --> 00:44:36.800
God is still there.

714
00:44:36.800 --> 00:44:37.800
He's still working for people.

715
00:44:37.800 --> 00:44:38.800
But I also learn.

716
00:44:38.800 --> 00:44:41.800
I don't know not from young people.

717
00:44:41.800 --> 00:44:46.800
I learn hope and resilience and creativity.

718
00:44:46.800 --> 00:44:52.800
And I think being around the young people I serve, again within the community or outside the community,

719
00:44:52.800 --> 00:44:57.800
I've learned to be more creative.

720
00:44:57.800 --> 00:45:02.800
And to give them more space to work.

721
00:45:02.800 --> 00:45:03.800
So there are two things.

722
00:45:03.800 --> 00:45:05.800
And they're going to see in paradoxical.

723
00:45:05.800 --> 00:45:08.800
I don't believe that young people are the church of the future.

724
00:45:08.800 --> 00:45:10.800
I think they're now.

725
00:45:10.800 --> 00:45:14.800
So I think saying you're the future just kicks it down the road.

726
00:45:14.800 --> 00:45:16.800
But I think it's now.

727
00:45:16.800 --> 00:45:19.800
But with all my love and respect for young people, I also don't believe.

728
00:45:19.800 --> 00:45:22.800
And let's all hand it all over to them.

729
00:45:22.800 --> 00:45:26.800
Because the church is a continuity.

730
00:45:26.800 --> 00:45:28.800
The church is all of us.

731
00:45:28.800 --> 00:45:33.800
You know, I'm not going to serve you with the inclusion of your parents or your grandparents.

732
00:45:33.800 --> 00:45:38.800
Because they have every right to be served and every right to be heard and every right to be ministered to.

733
00:45:38.800 --> 00:45:45.800
And if we nurture a self, a generation of selfish young people,

734
00:45:45.800 --> 00:45:46.800
one of doing the many things.

735
00:45:46.800 --> 00:45:47.800
Wow.

736
00:45:47.800 --> 00:45:48.800
Wow.

737
00:45:48.800 --> 00:45:51.800
I think, you know, I don't board your respect.

738
00:45:51.800 --> 00:45:54.800
I don't think young people are the center of the universe.

739
00:45:54.800 --> 00:45:55.800
Yeah.

740
00:45:55.800 --> 00:45:57.800
I think every person is the center of the universe.

741
00:45:57.800 --> 00:45:58.800
Yeah.

742
00:45:58.800 --> 00:46:05.800
And when we teach young people to respect those who have gone before them

743
00:46:05.800 --> 00:46:08.800
and follow in their footsteps and do things even better,

744
00:46:08.800 --> 00:46:13.800
and we teach older people to respect those who are coming behind them

745
00:46:13.800 --> 00:46:17.800
and to empower and enable them, then we get the beauty of the church.

746
00:46:17.800 --> 00:46:18.800
So good.

747
00:46:18.800 --> 00:46:22.800
And I think that's really important.

748
00:46:22.800 --> 00:46:24.800
It doesn't have to be this polarity.

749
00:46:24.800 --> 00:46:28.800
We don't have to do it between young and old men and women.

750
00:46:28.800 --> 00:46:29.800
All of that.

751
00:46:29.800 --> 00:46:30.800
Yeah.

752
00:46:30.800 --> 00:46:31.800
It's not the way it is.

753
00:46:31.800 --> 00:46:42.800
The church is a beautiful, beautiful mosaic of little tiles

754
00:46:42.800 --> 00:46:46.800
that in and of themselves may look relatively insignificant.

755
00:46:46.800 --> 00:46:49.800
But when they put in the right spot

756
00:46:49.800 --> 00:46:52.800
and they come together and work,

757
00:46:52.800 --> 00:46:56.800
you get a beautiful mosaic.

758
00:46:56.800 --> 00:46:57.800
Yeah.

759
00:46:57.800 --> 00:47:01.800
And I think each and every one of us just has to be that tile

760
00:47:01.800 --> 00:47:06.800
allow God to put us in the right space and then stand back.

761
00:47:06.800 --> 00:47:07.800
Yeah.

762
00:47:07.800 --> 00:47:08.800
And see.

763
00:47:08.800 --> 00:47:10.800
So good.

764
00:47:10.800 --> 00:47:12.800
Archbishop, that is so good.

765
00:47:12.800 --> 00:47:16.800
That's such a word that we need to hear genuinely.

766
00:47:16.800 --> 00:47:19.800
And such a word inspired by God.

767
00:47:19.800 --> 00:47:21.800
You know, God's words are always good.

768
00:47:21.800 --> 00:47:23.800
I can sit and talk for hours.

769
00:47:23.800 --> 00:47:25.800
I don't think these poor people wouldn't listen for hours.

770
00:47:25.800 --> 00:47:28.800
But I can sit and talk for hours because I love it.

771
00:47:28.800 --> 00:47:31.800
Because God's word is so good.

772
00:47:31.800 --> 00:47:32.800
Yeah.

773
00:47:32.800 --> 00:47:35.800
And there is so much to share.

774
00:47:35.800 --> 00:47:39.800
If we share it properly, if we make it relevant

775
00:47:39.800 --> 00:47:42.800
and if we make it accessible.

776
00:47:42.800 --> 00:47:46.800
But we sometimes try to become gatekeepers,

777
00:47:46.800 --> 00:47:50.800
the God's word, or we come obstacles to God's word.

778
00:47:50.800 --> 00:47:53.800
And neither of those is helpful.

779
00:47:53.800 --> 00:47:54.800
Hmm.

780
00:47:54.800 --> 00:47:56.800
Hmm.

781
00:47:56.800 --> 00:47:57.800
That's.

782
00:47:57.800 --> 00:47:59.800
It's a good challenge.

783
00:47:59.800 --> 00:48:01.800
I love it.

784
00:48:01.800 --> 00:48:02.800
I love so much.

785
00:48:02.800 --> 00:48:09.800
The gentle encouragement, the storytelling which speaks lessons

786
00:48:09.800 --> 00:48:12.800
and then the gentle challenges at the end.

787
00:48:12.800 --> 00:48:13.800
It's very good.

788
00:48:13.800 --> 00:48:14.800
It was amazing.

789
00:48:14.800 --> 00:48:15.800
Yeah.

790
00:48:15.800 --> 00:48:18.800
Awesome experiences for me to listen to that alone.

791
00:48:18.800 --> 00:48:20.800
Hopefully you guys are watching at home.

792
00:48:20.800 --> 00:48:25.800
And guys, thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of the podcast.

793
00:48:25.800 --> 00:48:26.800
Thanks for watching.

794
00:48:26.800 --> 00:48:28.800
And thank you, Archbishop, for joining us.

795
00:48:28.800 --> 00:48:30.800
It was so kind of you.

796
00:48:30.800 --> 00:48:31.800
Come out of your way.

797
00:48:31.800 --> 00:48:33.800
And make sure that you tune in.

798
00:48:33.800 --> 00:48:36.800
Like and subscribe and do all that stuff.

799
00:48:36.800 --> 00:48:40.800
Like and subscribe to the podcast next week or whatever content we push out.

800
00:48:40.800 --> 00:48:42.800
But we will see you very soon.

801
00:48:42.800 --> 00:48:44.800
Good bless you guys and see you later.

802
00:48:44.800 --> 00:48:45.800
Bye.